Improved reading and writing desk



@jaw Pafewfed @www UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEo CURT PRETSCH, OF TRENTON, NEIV JERSEY.

IMPIOVED READING AND WRITING DESK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 27,85, dated April 10, 1860.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GUET PEErscH, of Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, Iiave invented a new and useful Combined Reading and Vriting Desk; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiicat-ion, in which- Figure l represents a vertical longitudinal section taken through the draw and lid, also showing, by an end view of the lower support, the manner ot' connecting the desk with a bedstead, chair, or other reclining article ot' furniture. Fig. 2 shows the posts with the draw and its hinged lid drawn partially out.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre spending parts in both figures.

Thisinvention relates toa portable reading and writing desk to be attached to the side of a bedstcad-rail, to achair, or other like article of furniture for the use of invalids or those who are not able to hold a book constantly while reading or who are not able to get from the bed to Lise a table. The inven- `tion is specially intended for such persons,

and rovides both `for readin r and writing .T7 C

viz., by serving as an adjustable support or Every provision is made for placing the book while in Vilse in a proper position and for holding the leaves down while it is open. The parts can all be raised or depressed and ixed in the desired position, and they may be readily removed, packed up, and laid away when not in immediate use, as will be hereinafter described and represented.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the drawings, A represents a box with three sides and a bottom made of some light hard wood and of any suitable size. On the inside ot' each end of this box is fixed a rack-bar B, under which bars the draw C- slides, thus serving to keep the draw down on the bottom of the box A, and to prevent it from tipping when a weight is placed on the lid D with the draw open and the said lid inclined more or less. 'lhe lid or tablet D is secured to a right-angularstrip E, which is hinged to the lower edge of the draw, as shown by the drawings. The lid will thus be drawn out with the draw. Under the lid D are two prop-sticks G, by which, with the notches in the bar B, the lid can be given any degree of inclination desired while the sticks will sustain it in its inclined state. The sticks G are hinged to the lid, so that they will fold up when the lid is to be let down on the box A. On the tront of the hinged piece E is held an adjustable ledge J, with strip a projecting from its upper edge. This strip J is made adjustable by set-screws b and slots c, so as to be raised or depressed, as represented by the drawings. The whole rests on a shaft or bracket L, which is supported by a rod M, which rod is fixed to one end of the bracket by a set-screw d and socket N. The lower end of the rod passes through a socketplate P, and can be adj usted and set to any desirable height by a setscrew e. This last holding-plate is to be secured or clamped to a bedstead-rail or other established place.

The parts are used in the following manner:

The draw C contains the writing materials,

and when the lid is to be used as a writingtablet a slight degree of inclination is given to it, the desk being adjusted to the desired height and the ledge placed in the position represented by Figs. land 2 of the drawings, so as to be ont of the way of the arm in writing.

When it is desired to use the deskas a readingdesk, the ledge J is raised'and the edges ot' t-he leaves ot' the book placed under the stripci This will thus hold the leaves down, while the ledge will keep the book on the lid. The lid is then tipped up and the draw drawn out, as in Fig. 2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claiin,and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

The combination ot the adjustable ledge J, strip E, and tablet D with the drawer C, box A, rackbox B, bracket I., and adjustable rod M, as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

CURT PRETSOl-I.

Witnesses:

CHARLES SWAN, J ULrUs RIEDEL. 

